Westboro Baptist Church permitted to picket UA campus

Wednesday

May 15, 2013 at 3:02 PM

By Jason MortonStaff Writer

TUSCALOOSA | The Westboro Baptist Church has been permitted to picket on the University of Alabama campus Saturday from noon to 12:30 p.m. outside Russell Hall.UA spokesman Chris Bryant said Wednesday that the location at the northeast corner of University Boulevard and Hackberry Lane was chosen “to ensure the safety and security of the campus community and to maintain the university's ability to educate its students and conduct its daily operations.”The university has established the area in in the parking lot east of Gallalee Hall as a site for “individuals or groups who want to express a differing opinion” from the Westboro group, Bryant said.This location, at the northwest corner of University Boulevard and Hackberry Lane, is directly across the street from the Westboro Baptist Church's location. The Topeka, Kan.-based church, most known for its anti-gay stance and for protesting at military funerals, announced it plans to picket Tuscaloosa and the University of Alabama earlier this month.The group's website said the demonstration is intended to “remind them (that) the wrath of God” was responsible for the tornado of April 27, 2011. Specifically, the website for the church, said Saturday's protest is meant to memorialize the cancellation of UA's spring 2011 graduation ceremonies, which were abandoned two years ago because of the chaos brought by the storm.“That whirlwind came from God,” the website said. “Praise His name for it, then fear and obey that God who is able to whip up a whirlwind on a dime!“Call this time, between your last GodSmack and your NEXT GodSmack, space for repentance!”The group's website did not indicate how many protesters are planning to visit Tuscaloosa, but its events typically feature no more than 10 members of the group holding signs with messages like “God Hates America,” “You're Going to Hell” and “Thank God for Dead Soldiers.”It's not uncommon for adults and children to take part in the protests.Word of Westboro Baptist Church's planned visit has spread quickly, and some residents have announced an intent to protest the church group's presence.These kinds of counter-protests are not uncommon, with groups forming in an attempt to drown out or distract from the messages being delivered by the Westboro Baptist Church's followers and these activities typically contain messages of acceptance and tolerance.The group's website said the visit to Tuscaloosa is also meant to condemn homosexuality and same-sex marriages, although Alabama has no law permitting same-sex unions.“You really ‘smart' University people should have offered a PhD in The Flood,” the website said, “and it should have included an entire semester on the last offense against God before he sent that flood to WIPE OUT the entire earth, except the eight who were in the Ark, to wit: Same Sex Marriage! ...“So, the take away points for today class, to wit: The Lord is coming! America is Doomed!”